Game device



A. F. STIRRATT Dec. 1, 1959 GAME DEVICE Filed Jan. 3, 1956 m. N w 0INVENTOR.

firmn'rzy States Patent This invention relates to a game device, andmore particularly to a simple, inexpensive manufacture for re tainingand securing a ball and jacks.

The ancient game of jacks, or jackstones, as played children teaches anumber of concepts such as finger dexterity, addition or counting, andeye-hand coordination, while at the same time presenting an entertainingchallenge to the players. The game requires a plurality of jacks varyingin number from six to or 12, and a .rubber ball roughly the size of agolf ball. Although my invention is not directly concerned with themanner .of playing the game, it is played by scattering the jacks on anyflat surface and recapturing one or more jacks after the ball has beenbounced once, but before it bounces a second time.

One of the difiiculties which has been encountered in the past is theabsence of a suitable storage place for the jacks and ball after thechild or children have completed their play. It is most usual to providea pouch :for storage of these laythings. However, this storage meanssuffers from the disadvantage that for the child, the pouch soon becomesa purse for holding various incidental possessions whereby the jacks andball ultimately lose their storage place and become misplaced.

It is therefore one of the objects of my invention to provide a devicewhich is capable of securely holding a ball and a number of jacks, butwhich is unsuitable for -the storage of other game parts or incidentalobjects.

4 It is another object of my invention to provide a device for carryinga ball and jacks which will encourage children to return the ball andjacks to the carrier and so assist in teaching them possessory concepts.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a device for carryingand retaining a ball and jacks which will aid in teaching eye-handcoordination, finger dexterity and number concepts.

Additional objects will become apparent from a consideration of thedrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of my carrier shown partly in section;

Figure 2 is a perspective view;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1; and,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing for the general arrangement of theinvention, it will be seen to include a substantially rectangular framemember 11 fabricated from a rigid sheet material in which twolongitudinally spaced vertical slots 12 are formed. A horizontallydisposed circular seat 13 is positioned between slots 12, which seat ispreferably formed as an integral part of frame member 11. An elongatecover 14 is hinged to the upper portion of frame member 11 and preventsdisplacement of a ball from seat 13 when the cover 14 is situated in theposition shown in Figure 1. It will be apparent that the invention canbe fabricated from a wide variety of ma- R 2,915,190 Patented Dec. .1,1959 terials, but from the standpoint of convenience and appearance ofthe finished product, I prefer to use one of the numerous commerciallyavailable synthetic plastics for this purpose. Furthermore, by utilizingsuch plastic materials, the frame member and cover can be molded asintegral units.

Frame member 11 has a centrally disposedU-shaped opening formed thereinthat extends downwardly from the upper edge of the member. The U-shapedopening is defined by two longitudinally separated vertical flanges 16,the upper portions of which are straight, and the lower portions 17 ofwhich flanges curve inwardly to terminate on the upper circumferentialedge of a frusto-conical shell 18 that defines the seat 13. In Figures 1and 2 it will be seen that the U-shaped opening divides frame member 11into two sections 15.

The vertically disposed end edges of frame sections 15 are provided withtransverse flanges 19 extendingoutwardly therefrom. The lower edgeportions of flanges 19 are connected by an elongate flange 20 that istransversely positioned relative to frame member 11 and affixed thereto.Flanges 19 and 20 are preferably formed as integral parts of framemember 11. The inwardly disposed faces of flanges 16 are so relativelyspaced that a resilient ball 21 used in playing the game can be insertedwithin the confines thereof. The inwardly disposed faces of flangeportions 17 conform to the radius of curvature of ball 21 to permit itto rest on seat 13.

Slots 12 are of such length that a number of jacks 23 (Figure 1) can beremovably stacked in nested relationship within the confines thereof,with the jacks extending upwardly in the slots until the necks 25 of theuppermost jacks are in substantially horizontal alignment with the upperedge 22 of frame member 11.

Inadvertent displacement of jacks 23 from slots 12 is prevented by thecover 14, one end of which is connected to a hinge 26 that projects fromthe upper outer face portion of one of the flanges'19. The other of thetwo flanges 19 has a shoulder 27 formed on the upper outwardly disposedportion thereof, which shoulder is adapted to frictionally engage alatch 28 forming an integral part of cover 14.

Cover 14 consists of a first flat, rigid member 29 substantially thelength of frame member 11. The free end of this cover terminates in asecond downwardly extending member 30 in which a latch 28 is formed asan integral part thereof. Latch 28 is sufliciently resilient'to deformslightly in order to engage or disengage shoulder 27. A third rigidmember 30a extends downwardly from first member 29 and is disposedadjacent to hinge 26. First rigid member 29 has an extension 31depending from the lower face thereof and extending between the inwardlydisposed faces of members 30 and 30a. Extension 31 is provided with anarcuate concave lower edge section 32 that is of substantially the sameradius of curvature as ball 23. Edge section 32 is so located onextension 31 as to permit the edge section to engage the upper portionof the ball when the cover 14 is in the closed position shown inFigure 1. In this manner the ball 21 is removably held within theconfines of the invention due to the cooperative action of the seat 13and cover 14.

Lateral movement of cover 14 relative to frame member 11 is prevented byextensions 33 provided on flanges 16. Extensions 33 are of substantiallyone-half the width of flanges 16 and extend upwardly above frame 11 onopposite sides of the member. Vertically disposed recesses 33a areformed in cover extension 31 that are slidably engaged by flangeextensions 33 when the cover 14 is in the closed position. Thus it willbe seen that not only is lateral movement between cover 14 and frame 3member 11 prevented,"but also it is impossible for the coverto become sostressed as to bind when the cover is pivoted to an open position forthe removal from or insertion of jacks 23 and ball 21 within theconfines of the invention. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, hinge '26 isformedwith alaterallyextending bore through which a key chain 35 ofconventional design can be inserted for convenience in carrying theinvention.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided aninexpensive, novel carrier for jacks and'ball used inconjunctiontherewith, for this combina- *tion not only teaches -'the child to countand develops physical coordination, but also encourages a habit oftidiness in the storage of his possessions.

Although the inventionherein shown and described is fully capable ofproviding the advantages and achieving the objects as outlined, it is tobe understood that it is merely illustrat iveof the-presently preferredembodiment of the invention and that I do not mean to be limited to thedetails of construction, other'than as defined in the appended claims.

'Iclaim:

1. A game devicefor use in storing a plurality of jacks mid a-playingball, including: a fiat,-rigid frame member having at least one elongateslot formed therein into which a pluralityo'f jacks can be disposed innested relationship so as to project outwardly therefrom on each sidethereof, which member is formed with an opening in which said :ball can'be inserted so as to project outwardly therefrom on each-side thereof;a seat on which said ballrests when positioned within the confines ofsaid opening; cover means movably connected to said member, which meanswhen in a first position permits said jacks and ball to'be inserted intoor removed from said slot and opening, and when in a second positionprevents the removal of said jacks and ball from said slot and opening;and lock means for removably holding said cover in said second position.

2. Agame device as defined *inclaim 1 in which said cover is pivotallyconnected to said frame member.

3. A game device as defined in claim 2 in which said seat .is defined bya frusto-conical shell bearing a fixed relationship to said frame memberand located in the lower portion of said opening.

4. A game device as defined in claim 3 in which said seat and framemember are formed as an integral unit.

5. A game device .as defined in claim 4 in which said frame-member hastransversely disposed flanges formed on thebottom :and end edgesthereof.

6. A game device as defined in claim 5 that is provided witha hingerigidly mounted on the first of said flanges disposed on the ends ofsaid rigid frame member, which hinge is connected to a first end portionof said cover to permit pivotal movement thereof.

7. A game device as defined in claim 6 in which said lock means is alatch afiixed to a second end portion of said cover and a shoulderdisposed on the upper end portion of said second of said flanges mountedon the ends of said frame member, which latch is adapted to removablyengage said shoulder to hold said cover in said second position.

8. A game device as defined inclaim 7 in which said frame memberincludes flanges disposed on opposite sides of said opening that extendabove the upper edge of said frame member 'andare disposed adjacentopposite sides of said cover when in said second position, which flangesprevent appreciable lateral movement of said cover relative to saidframe member when said cover is in said second position.

9. A game device as defined in claim "8 in-which said cover means is anelongate rigid member.

10. A game device as defined in claim '9in which'sa id elongate covermember-is formed with .a concavelower edge that engages the-uppersurface of said ball-when it is disposed on said seat and saidcover member-is in said second position.

11. A game device for use in storing a plurality or jacks and a playingball, said device comprising: a Ifiat, rigid frame member having atleast one elongate slot formed therein in which a plurality of jacks canbe disposed in nested relationship such that each jack projectsoutwardly from said member on each side thereofi said member beingformed with an opening into which-said ball can be inserted so as toproject outwardly from said member on each side thereof; aseat :attachedto -'-said member at the bottomof said opening andradaptedito receive:said ball; and cover means :adapted to :be removably attached to:saidmember for closing off'iboth said :slot :and said opening so as :toretain said .ball and jacks therein.

References Cited inthe. file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS756,093 Beeton et a1 Mar. :29, 1904 1,161,096 Whitney Nov.123, 19152,097,939 Timm Nov. 2, 19,217 2,119,217 Rocchi May 31, 219-38 2,221,704Farley Nov. 12, 1940 2,349,803 Root, May .30, :1944

FOREIGN PATENTS 620,380 Great Britain Mar. 23,, 1949

